Mother Nature got it right when she planned for the fruits of summer to ripen at different times. Could you imagine if they all came into season all at once? How would a girl ever manage? I mean, there are only so many hours and so many days to go berry picking and do baking and canning and make delicious drinks to sip on out on the patio. And we need extra hours to really enjoy those drinks and desserts on said patio. It would be absolutely crazily impossible. It would be berry mayhem! Luckily - thank you Mother Nature, we ease into the season with spring rhubarb, which is not even a fruit - but it may as well be in my books because it seems to get way more attention disguising itself with other fruit in pies and crumbles, then come strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, pears, blueberries and finally apples.

Well, raspberry season is wrapping up out here where we live and these tender little berries are the most delicate of all the summer fruit that I can think of. A little bit tart and little bit sweet, and always so juicy, raspberries are one of my favourites. The problem is that they ripen so quickly and crush so easily, you really just have to freeze them or use them up as quickly as you can. I actually can't think of a time I had to freeze raspberries, I pop them in my mouth like candy, I can't imagine raspberries rotting on my watch!

Which brings me to this recipe. I have been promising my husband a pie for ages. A good old fashioned pie. As I searched through my fridge I came across the leftover coconut milk from a recipe I made the other day. As any thrifty girl would do I quickly started thinking of how I was going to use it. Ideas usually just pop in my head, and I took one look at the pile of raspberries and the wheels started churning. I often feel like peaking into the depths of my refrigerator is like being on the next episode of Chopped. "All right contestants, for this challenge you need to make a desert with canned coconut milk, eggs, ripe raspberries and flour. You have only 30 minutes. Go!" So, there you have it, Raspberry Coconut Custard Pie. I hope my husband enjoys his pie! ❤️

1. Prepare the pie crust as per your favourite recipe or the directions on the package of store bought pie shell and bake until golden brown, and let cool completely2. In a mixing bowl combine egg yolks, flour and sugar and beat together until creamy3. Add vanilla to the mixture and stir until combined4. In a medium saucepan mix together the milk and the coconut milk and stir over medium heat until the milk is just beginning to boil and promptly take the pot off the heat* it's okay at the beginning to have chunks of coconut cream, it will melt down after a few minutes of stirring,5. Add the hot milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the ingredients in the bowl and whisk continuously until you have poured in all of the milk and whisk until there are no lumps6. Pout the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat whisking continuously until thickened, about 5-7 minutes, you want the custard to coat a spoon dipped in without dripping7. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in most of the shredded coconut, save some coconut for decorating the top of the pie​8. Transfer the mix to a bowl and let cool completely - warm custard will make your pie crust soggy! Place Saran Wrap/plastic wrap directly on top of the custard to preventthe top​from forming a hard crust9. Spoon the custard into the pie shell and top off with the raspberries and the remaining coconut10. Serve immediate or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve and enjoy!